Village council prejudice against cyclists

MikeF
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Re: Village council prejudice against cyclists

Post by MikeF »

thirdcrank wrote:When I look at the link in the OP, all I see is that the parish council has re-published the organiser's info with some sarcasm about the event. Big deal.

More generally, IME it's quite common for participants in any event to fail to appreciate that for the rest of society, life goes on.
Sarcasm? The Parish Council website should be simply factual and not be using words like "lycra louts" and "they" etc as though the cyclists are some form of aliens. As my earlier post, that is not appropriate wording for a public body - and a "quality council" at that. If the event is causing problems and the council objects they should state that.

I don't take part in events so roads are never closed to motor traffic for me, but there's the London to Brighton event this Sunday so all local roads will have less motor traffic. :D
"It takes a genius to spot the obvious" - my old physics master.
I don't peddle bikes.
mattsccm
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Re: Village council prejudice against cyclists

Post by mattsccm »

I have a suspicion that the lycra lout term is linked to the nasty proloferation of litter that these events create. Litter lout being the obvious and universal term. Sadly as well many riders do not behvae in a considerate manner. As a consequence the label applies to all just as some seem to suggest that parish councillors are all selfish and strange.
pwa
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Re: Village council prejudice against cyclists

Post by pwa »

Not quite the same thing, but a few weeks back Cardiff hosted the Champions League Final. The stadium is in the city centre and the event saw roads closed. Together with the expectation of inconvenience due to crowds it put lots of regular shoppers off going to Cardiff that weekend, and a lot of businesses that had organised extra staff for the big event actually found business subdued compared to a normal weekend. They ended up sending their extra staff home early to minimise the losses. Sporting events are not the universally great commercial opportunity that some make them out to be. For many businesses they are just a pain. A cycling event that closes roads will not help many businesses along the route. Pubs won't benefit unless the cyclists are interrupting their rides to enjoy a steak and ale pie. Delivery companies will have trouble delivering, which should bother us because it is people who have to work on a Sunday (while some can play on their bikes) finding their job made harder.
Fasgadh
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Re: Village council prejudice against cyclists

Post by Fasgadh »

The language is a bit much and this may be their only sport related closure. Where I live we get hit 3 or 4 times a Summer and living on the coast our only way out is by sea or a long walk to someone elses bus service. The extent of the closures increases every year with more or more side roads being closed as well. Worth noting that the usual suspects are runners and Orangemen, but we do have a sportive which could turn closed road as well. Runners are really bad news as the closures are all day rather than most of the day with the cycling/triathlons. This year we are also getting the Ironman which could easily use other roads that are not already often closed.

Businesses close up for the day yet we are told that these things are good for the local economy. All that is required is planning - a long running(sorry) marathon has first dibs, everyone else takes another route, preferably inland where there are alternatives. That way we can all have fun on our precious downtime, not just those paying a commercial company a lot of money to use public roads. Not so much Not in My Back Yard as Not so often in my back yard please. (And take into account that big grey thing with waves and ships on it).
Zigster
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Re: Village council prejudice against cyclists

Post by Zigster »

MikeF wrote:I don't take part in events so roads are never closed to motor traffic for me, but there's the London to Brighton event this Sunday so all local roads will have less motor traffic. :D


I live on the London to Brighton route. The route passes right outside my front gate and my road is closed northbound from 07.00 to 18.00 during the day of the ride. To get around by car, I have to take some fairly complicated routes.

It doesn't bother me at all. The sound of cyclists is a lot more pleasant than the cars which normally clog the road.
Flinders
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Re: Village council prejudice against cyclists

Post by Flinders »

Maybe someone could point out to those living in the village there that the people from Birmingham they feel so free to insult will be heavily subsidising the local services they enjoy- like the roads. Which are, incidentally, not 'theirs', but everybody's.

Knowing the place a bit, I bet many of the residents actually commute and use roads like the M6, so every working day they will be busy polluting the lives of people who live in the Birmingham area and adding to the traffic jams there- far worse than closing the roads for a few hours once a year.

That parish council page is full of loathsome comments, and should be referred to whichever authority oversees local government.
Flinders
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Re: Village council prejudice against cyclists

Post by Flinders »

mattsccm wrote:I have a suspicion that the lycra lout term is linked to the nasty proloferation of litter that these events create. Litter lout being the obvious and universal term. Sadly as well many riders do not behvae in a considerate manner. As a consequence the label applies to all just as some seem to suggest that parish councillors are all selfish and strange.


But if that's the problem, funnily enough I don't see this page calling car drivers louts.Round here (semi-rural), we have lots of litter thrown from cars. I expect they have the same. That's not counting fly-tipping. Add to that speeding, driving whilst on the phone, etc.....
MikeF
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Re: Village council prejudice against cyclists

Post by MikeF »

Zigster wrote:
MikeF wrote:I don't take part in events so roads are never closed to motor traffic for me, but there's the London to Brighton event this Sunday so all local roads will have less motor traffic. :D


I live on the London to Brighton route. The route passes right outside my front gate and my road is closed northbound from 07.00 to 18.00 during the day of the ride. To get around by car, I have to take some fairly complicated routes.

It doesn't bother me at all. The sound of cyclists is a lot more pleasant than the cars which normally clog the road.
I've never found there is anything to stop you cycling with or against the flow, but that's only around here. As it happened it was too oppressive for me to do much. Ditchling Beacon must have been "the last straw" for some on the ride.
"It takes a genius to spot the obvious" - my old physics master.
I don't peddle bikes.
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Si
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Re: Village council prejudice against cyclists

Post by Si »

Looks like some of the locals have won - major route changes announced - it now goes up into South Staffs....in fact I think it goes past my old house. When I were a lad, we used to have a local cycle race start/finish in my road - never upset anyone, people just took the opportunity to enjoy something that they'd rarely seen before.
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mjr
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Re: Village council prejudice against cyclists

Post by mjr »

http://road.cc/content/news/225339-majo ... opposition is a report with what looks like it might be the new map.
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Grandad
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Re: Village council prejudice against cyclists

Post by Grandad »

.in fact I think it goes past my old house. When I were a lad, we used to have a local cycle race start/finish in my road - never upset anyone, people just took the opportunity to enjoy something that they'd rarely seen before.


Would that be Ounsdale Road in Wombourne? Start and finish at the top of the rise by the school.
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Si
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Re: Village council prejudice against cyclists

Post by Si »

Close but not quite....a little to the north in pattingham
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